Rotary printing-press.



H. F. BECHMAN.

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION HLED AUG-l5, 1 912.

WITNESSES mars PETER! ca. Puora'urna. WASHING H. F. BECHMAN.

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. l5. l9l2- Patented Apr.;17,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR form N1 n e'riirns BATE err-ion.

HENRY F. BECHMAN, 0F BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DUPLEX PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

norAnv PRINTI G-fairies.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Apr. 1 7, 1917- Application filedAugust 15, 1912. Serial No. 715,186.

To all whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. BEQHMAN, of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Printing-Presses; and I herebydecla-re that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement uponthe single page tubular plate rotary printing presses described in my Patents #867,230 dated October 1, 1907 #867,281 dated October 1, 1907; #979,919 dated December 27, 1910; and reissue #13129 dated July 19, 1910; and the object of this invention is to produce a machine in which longer cylinders carrying a larger number of single page tubular plates maybe employed, and the total capacity of the press greatly enhanced and its flexibility (or capacity of producing papers of various sizes from the minimum to the maximum)largely increased. Subsidiary objects of the invention are,to provide a novel arrangement of the printing mechanisms; to provide novel means for maintaining the cylinders inaccurate gear with the driving mechanism without interfering with the plating thereof; to insure greater steadiness of the cylinders in operation and a resultant better quality of printing; to provide for increased distribution of the ink; and to have all operative parts readily accessible by the pressmen.

I will explain the invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown a press containing three perfecting mechanisms, each comprising two printing couples, each couple having its own inking mechanism; and the couples being so arranged that the'webs may be led through the press in a variety of ways. and maybe printed in one or more colors if desired; and papers of any desired size may be produced from two pages up to the maximum of the press; which, in the example shown is 24 pages and of course the capacity of the press may be varied by using more or less perfecting mechanisms or printing couples as is well understood; and by providing a plurality of folders and angle bars at the delivery end of the press, as in my Patent No. 927,931 of July 13, 1909 or No. 85 1,1 19 of May 27, 1907 for example, two or more papers of the same, or of different size, may be simultaneously delivered from the press.

In said drawings 1 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a printing press embodying the invention showing the arrangement of the printing couples, the inking mechanism and also one arrangement of web rolls and web guiding mechanism, and folders.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of one of the printing couples detached.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged end view of Fig. 2 partly broken.

As shown each printing couple comprises a plate cylinder (1 or 1 which is preferably of small diameter and adapted to carry single-page tubular-plates such as are described in my patents aforesaid; and coacting with this plate cylinder is an impression cylinder (2 or 2?) which is preferably of twice the diameter'of the plate cylinder; 2'. c. the impression cylinder is of ordinary size.

The plate cylinder in each couple is arranged parallel with and preferably directly over the impression cylinder such arrangement obviating chattering, springing or jumping of the plate cylinder at high speed. If the plate cylinder was placed at the side of the impression cylinder instead of on the top thereof it would have a great tendency to jump or spring when the margins of the plates passed the impression cylinder, which would produce streaked and poor printing at the center of theweb; butl have found that by arranging the plate cylinder directly above the impression-cylinder such defective printing is entirely prevented, and far better results are produced than when the plate cylinder is placed at the side of the impression cylinder, as is commonly done.

As shown in Fig. 1 two such printing couples are arranged in each perfecting.

tor 8 and fountain roll 3 mechanism, and preferably such printing couples are arranged one above the other in a vertical plane.

In the drawings 1 represents the upper plate cylinder in each perfecting mechanism, and 2 its co-acting impression cylinder; 1 the lower plate cylinder, and 2 its coacting impression cylinder. Three such perfecting mechanisms are shown arranged adjacent each other, the cylinders all being parallel and 1 preferably arrange the printing couples in each perfecting mechanism one above the other to gain space, as this arrangement will shorten up the machine materially and also reduce its height. For clearness of illustration the printing couples in each perfecting mechanism are shown as separated more than is necessary in actual practice.

Preferably I provide each plate cylinder 1, 1 with an inking mechanism comprising form rollers 3; a; pair of ink drums 3*; an intermediate 3*; distributing rollers 3?; duo- By this arrangement I obtain a very even distribution of ink, but do not herein claim such inking mechanism per 86. 1 preferably locate the inking mechanism for the upper plate cylinders at the right hand sides of said cylinders; and place the inking mechanism for the lower plate cylinders at the left hand sides of said cylinders, as indicated in Fig. 1. But the invention is not restricted to the particular construction or arrangement of inking mechanisms shown in the drawings.

The paper rolls can be located as desired either above the machine, or at the end as shown in the drawing. Many publishers prefer to have the paper rolls located at one end of the machine for the reason that there is a good deal of dust in' such rolls,

and if the rolls are located above the press such dust is apt to drop onto the inking apparatus, and necessitates washing the latter frequently to keep it in proper condition.

In Fig. 1 the web rolls are illustrated as.

arranged at the left hand end of the ma chine; and the .Web to may be led from a roll W past suitable guides 1, 4 to and between the upper plate and impression cylinders 1, 2 in the first or left hand perfecting mechanism; then down under a guide 4, to and between the plate and nnpresslon cylinders 1 2*; then down under guide 4 and beneath the press to a guide 1 and thence up over a guide 4 to the former of a folder F, one or more of which folders may be located at the right hand end of the machine as indicated in the drawings; and the web's may be split-and assembled at the folder by 7 any desired or usual means, not shown.

The web 10 for the second perfecting mechanism may be led from a roll 1V past guides 5, 5*, 5, above the first perfecting mechanism and thence down under a guide 5", thence between the upper plate and impression cylinders in the second perfecting mechanism; then down under a guide 5, and thence between the'lower plate and impression cylinders in the second perfecting mechanism; then down under a guide 5 and beneath the press to a guide 5 and thence up to and over guide r to the folder.

The web 10 for the third perfecting mechanism, may be led from a roll 1V past guides 6-, 6, 6 above the first two perfecting mechanisms; then down under a guide (3 and thence between the upper plate and impression cylinders in the third perfecting mechanism; down under a guide G and be tween the lower plate and impression cylinders in the third perfecting mechanism; thence down under guide 6 and beneath the press to a guide (i and thence up over the roller r to the folder. 0f course the a;-v rangement of web guides and location of the web rolls may be varied to suit the designer or owner of the machine.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be observed that the plate cylinders are made four plates wide between the bearings, that is each plate cylinder, as shown, is adapted to carry four tubular plates P. Each plate practically surrounds the circumference of the plate cylinder, except for the one narrow marginal slot, as described in my aforesaid patents, which slot is adapted to engage a rib l or i on the plate cylinder (see Fig. 2) substantially as described in my Patent #979,919.

Each end of the plate cylinder is journaled in a bearing 7 which is supported by a narrow neck 7 (Fig. &) upon the main frame, or a part attached to the main frame. Saidneck 7 is slightly less in width than the slot in a plate P, and the bearing 7 is slightly less in exterior diameter than the exterior diameter of the plate cylinder, so

that a tubular plate P can be slipped endwise onto the cylinder, over either end thereof and over the bearing 7, by turning the cylinder so that the. rib l or 1, thereof registers with the shank"? of the adjacent bearing. The plates P can thus be slipped endwise onto and ofi of the cylinder substantially as described in my Patent #979,919 aforesaid. Theribs 1 ,1 each extend but half the length of the-cylinder, and they are preferably not in exact alinement, but are staggered.

This construction permits the staggering of the plates-on the four-plate wide cylinders, and the novel gearing hereinafter described enables all'the plates to be put on or removed froln the plate cylinder without removing any bearing, or taking off or slipping on any gear, or requiring any special or extra operation on the part of the pressman. The plating up of a cylinder with my novel construction is no more difficult, and involves no more labor than is required in plating up the present forms of cylinder presses.

In practice each cylinder is plated from both ends; two plates being slipped on or taken from the cylinder at each end, while the rib 1 or 1, is registered with the shank 7 of the adjacent bearing. Each plate cylinder is provided with suitable clamps to locate the plates thereon, which clamps are preferably constructed as in my Patent #97 9,919, but may be of any other suitable construction.

diameter of the cylinder. Mounted on a stud 8 adjacent each gear 8 is an intermediate gear 8, having a segment removed as indi-- cated in Fig. 4. Mounted on a stud 8, adjacent the right hand gear 8 of each plate cylinder, is a similar intermediate segmental gear 8. The segmental gears 8 8 are so adjusted on their respective studs that when the gap in segmental gear 8 is opposite gear 8, the segmental gear 8 is in full mesh with the gear 8 (see Figs. 3 and 4); and when the gap in segmental gear 8 is opposite gear 8, the segmental gear 8 is in full mesh with the gear 8. In other words the segmental gears 8 and 8 are so axially displaced, as indicated in Fig. 4, that one or the other will always be in mesh with its related gear on the plate cylinder.

The segmental gear 8 meshes with an intermediate gear 9 which in turn meshes with a gear 9 on the left hand end of the shaft of the related impression cylinder 2; and the segmental gear 8 meshes with a similar intermediate gear 9 which meshes with a gear 9 pinned on the right hand end of the shaft of the cylinder 2. The two sets of gears, at the right and left hand ends of the cylinders, are duplicates; so that the plate cylinder is geared to the impression cylinder at each end, consequently when segmental gear 8 runs out of mesh with gear 8 the plate cylinder is still kept in true time with the impression cylinder by the gearing at the right hand side of the machine; and when segmental gear 8 goes out of mesh with gear 8, the plate cylinder is still kept in time with the impression cylinder by the gearing at the left hand side of the machine.

The object of using segmental gears 8, 8, as described, is to permit the tubular plates P to he slipped endwise over the bearings 7 onto the plate cylinder at either end of the plate cylinder.

By staggering the margin bars 1, 1 as in dicated in Fig. 2 I am enabled to stagger the segmental gears 8, 8 sufi iciently to insure the proper meshing of the gear 8 with gear 8 When the opening of gear 8 is adjacent the gear 8, and vice versa. Thus the driving gearing between the impression cylinder and its related plate cylinder is constantly maintained through the gearing at one or the other end of the cylinders.

The intermediate gears 9, 9 may be made narrower than the gears with which they mesh; and to the face of gear 9 may be attached a thin gear 9 toothed to match with gear 9 and is rotatorially adjustable rela tive thereto and may be locked when adjusted by means of bolts 9 engaging the gear 9 and passing through slots 9 in the gear 9 (see Fig. 4). The gear 9 may be similarly provided with an adjustable gear 9". These gears 9 9 can be adjusted so that all backlash or play in the gearing between the impression cylinder gears and the plate cylinder gears can be kept out of the mechanism, or compensated for.

In plating up the machine the pressman simply has to shift the plate cylinder to the position shown in Fig. 4 and slip two plates onto the plate cylinders at that side of the press. Then a partial revolution of the cylinders will bring the other margin bar 1 into register with the neck 7 of the right hand bearing and the gap in segmental gear 8 into proper position to permit plates to he slipped over the cylinder gear and thebearing onto the right hand end of the plate cylinder. Such partial rotation has to be done with all four-plate wide presses at present, as the plates are staggered on such cylinders and cannot all be plated from the same point; therefore the plating of my double width tubular press is just as simple a matter as with the single width presses.

In a press constructed in accordance with this invention the parts should be so intergeared that when one plate cylinder is adjusted so as to bring its margin bar 1 into register with the neck of the cylinder-bearing at the left hand side of the press, the margin bars 1 of all the other plate cylinders will be similarly brought into register with the necks 7 of the adjacent bearings; and when one plate cylinder is shifted so as to bring its margin-bar 1 into register with the neck of the adjacent bearing, all

of the bars 1 of the other cylinders will be similarly brought into register with the necks of the other bearing V While I have shown in the drawings the plate cylinders as constructed to carry four plates each, any less number of plates may be placed thereon according to the s ze of the paper it is desired to print; and, 1f desired, the plate cylinders may be made long enough to carry live or more plates.

What I claim is:

1. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular plates, a journal bearing for each end of the cylinder whereby such plates may be slipped on or oil either end of the cylinder; with two sets of means for driving the cylinder so arranged that when one driving means is disengaged from the cylinder the othe will be in engagement therewith.

2. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular plates, a journal bearing for each end of said cylinder adapted to permit said tubular plates to be slipped cndwise onto the cylinder at either end thereof; with duplicate sets of gearing for driving the cylinder so arranged that when one set of gearing is disengaged from the cylinder the other Will be in engagement therewith.

3. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular slotted plates, a journal bearing for each end of the cylinder having a narrow neck corresponding in width to the slots in the tubular plates whereby such plates may he slipped on or oil either end of the cylinder; with means for driving the cylinder at each end so arranged that when one driving means is disengaged from the cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

l. In a printing press, the combination of 'a plate cylinder adaptedto carry tubular slotted plates, a journal bearing for each end of said cylinder having a supporting neck substantially corresponding in width to the slots in the tubular plates whereby said tubular plates may he slipped endwise onto the cylinder at either end thereof past the bearing; with duplicate setsof gearing for driving the cylinder so arranged that when one set of gearing is disengaged from the cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

In a printing press, the combination of an impression cylinder, a plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular slotted platesand provided with margin bars adapted to engagethe slots in the. plates; bearings for the cylinder of less diameter than the cylinder and each supported by a neck substantially corresponding in width to thewidth of the margin bars on the cylinder to permit the slotted tubular plates to be slipped onto the cylinder over either end thereof; with duplicate sets of gearing for driving the cylinder at opposite ends thereof, so arranged that when one set of gearing disengages the cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

(5/ in a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular slotted plates, a journal bearing for each end of the cylinder having a neck substantially corresponding in width to the slot in the tubular plates to permit such plates to be slipped endwise past the bearing onto either end. of the cylinder;rwith a gear on each end of the cylinder of less diameter than the cylinders, a segmental gear adjacent each end of the cylinder meshing with the cylinder gears, and means for driv ing the segmental gears, said segmental being axially displaced so that when one gear is clear of its related cylinder gear the other is in engagement with its related cylinder gear, substai'itially as described.

'7. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular .slottedplates, a journal bearing for each end ot the cylinder having a neck substantially corresponding in width to the slots in the tubular plates to permit such plates to be slipped endwise onto either end of the cylinder; with a gear on each end of the cylinder, a driven gear adjacent each end of the cylinder, intermediate gears transmitting motion from said driven gears to the cylinder gears, the intermediate gears engaging the cylinder gears being gapped, but said gapped gears'being axially dis placed so that when the gap of one gear is clear of its related cylinder gear the other gapped gear is in engagement with its related cylinder gear.

8. In a rotary printing press, the com bination of a plate cylinder provided with a gear on each end; arbearing at each end of the plate cylinder having a narrow neck to permit a slotted tubular plate to be slipped endwise onto the cylinder over the cylinder gear and bearing; a segmental gear meshing with each'cylinder gear, the said segmental gears being placed so that when one segmental gear .is out of mesh with the related cylinder gear the other segmental gear is in mesh with its related cylinder gear; and means for driving the seg- Vmental gears at uniform speed.

9. In a printing press, the combination of. an impression cylinder, a'plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular slotted plates and provided with margin bars adapted'to engage the slots in the plate; bearings for the cylinderof less diameter than the cylinder'and'eachsupported by a neck substantially corresponding in width to the slots in the plates to permit such slotted plates to be slipped onto the cylinders over either end thereof; with a gear on each end of the cylinder of less diameter than the cylinder; a driven gear adjacent each end of the cylinder, segmental gears transmitting motion from said driven gears to the cylinder gears, said segmental gears being axially displaced so that when one segmental gear is clear of its related cylinder gear, the other segmental gear is in engagement with its related cylinder gear.

10. In a rotary printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder provided with a gear on each end of less diameter than the cylinder, a hearing at each end of the plate cylinder having a narrow neck to permit slotted tubular plates to be slipped endwise onto the cylinder, and a segmental gear meshing with each cylinder gear, the said segmental gears being so arranged that when one segmental gear is out of mesh with its related cylinder gear, the other segmental gear is in mesh with its related cylinder gear; with an impression cylinder adjacent the plate cylinder; gears on the ends of the impression cylinder and intermediate gears for driving said segmental gears from the cylinder gears, to keep the plate cylinder in constant time with the impression cylinder. 11. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder adapted to carry slotted tubular plates, said cylinder being supported at each end only in rigidly fixed journal bearings, each bearing having a narrow neck corresponding in width to the slots in the tubular plates, whereby' said plates may be slipped endwise onto or off the cylinder over either end thereof, and gearing for rotating said cylinder.

12. In a printing press, the combination of an impression cylinder, a plate cylinder adapted to carry tubular slotted plates and provided with marginal bars adapted to engage the slots in the plates;. said cylinder being journaled at each end only in rigidly fixed bearings of less diameter than the cyl-' inder; each of said bearings having a vertically disposed neck substantially corresponding in width to the width of the marginal bars on the cylinder, whereby the slotted tubular plates may be slipped onto or 0H of the cylinder at both ends thereof, and gearing for driving the plate cylinder.

13. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder; with two sets of means for driving the plate cylinder during each rotation thereof so arranged that when one driving means is disengaged from the plate cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith, and the plate cylinder be uniformly rotated.

14. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder; with sets of gearing for driving the plate cylinder during each rotation thereof at uniform speed so arranged that when one set of gearing is disengaged from the plate cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

15. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder; with a gear on each end of the plate cylinder, a segmental gear adjacent each end of the plate cylinder meshing with the gears thereon, and means for driving the segmental gears, said segmental gears being rotatorially displaced so that when one segmental gear is clear of its related cylinder gear the other segmental gear is in engagement with its related cylinder gear, said gears operating during each rotation of the plate cylinder, substantially as described.

16. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a co-acting impression cylinder; with driving means at each end of the plate cylinder for driving said cylinder continually and uniformly during each rotation thereof, said means being so arranged that when one is operatively disengaged from the plate cylinder the other will be operatively engaged therewith.

17. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a co-acting impression cylinder; with segmental gears at opposite ends of the plate cylinder for driving said cylinder continually and uniformly dure ing each rotation, said gearing being so arranged that when one is disengaged from the plate cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

18. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and coacting impression cylinder; with two sets of means acting alternately for driving the plate cylinder continuously during each rotation thereof, and so arranged that when one driving means is disengaged from the plate cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

19. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder; with sets of gearing adapted to alternately drive the plate cylinder during each rotation thereof and at uniform speed so arranged that when one set of gearing is disengaged from the plate cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

20. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a coacting impression cylinder; with a driving means between said cylinders at each end of the plate cylinder, for driving said plate cylinder continually and uniformly during each rotation thereof, said means being so arranged that when one means is operatively disengaged from the plate cylinder the other means will be operatively engaged therewith.

21. In a printing press, the combination of a plate cylinder and a co-acting impression cylinder; with a set of gears including segmental gear between said cylinders at each end thereof for driving said plate cylinder continually and uniformly during each rotation; said sets of gears being so arranged that when one is disengaged from the plate cylinder the other will be in engagement therewith.

22. In a printing press,'the combination of a plate cylinder and a ce-acting impression cylinder; with gearing between said cylinders at each end thereof, including a mutilated gear adjacent each end of the plate cylinder so arrangedthat when one mutilated gear is operatively disengaged the other, will \be operatiyely engaged, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. BEOHMAN. lVitnesses IRVING IQSTONE, CHARLES A. .GRAMES,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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